Vijay Mohan
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, December 21
The International Border in the Punjab sector remained active during the intervening night of December 20-21, with the Border Security Force shooting down a drone near Amritsar and recovering 4.3 kg of narcotics in the vicinity. Another 25 suspicious packets were seized near the border fence in Fazilka area after BSF opened fire on suspected smugglers.
While undertaking search operations during the day, BSF troops recovered approximately 4.3 kg narcotics in the vicinity of Daoke border outpost near Amritsar, BSF officials said. The packets, wrapped in yellow tape, are suspected to contain heroin.
A drone had entered India from the Pakistani side at 7.20 pm yesterday. It hovered in the sky for a few minutes when counter drone measures were taken by personnel of 144 Battalion, BSF officers said.
The fallen drone was spotted this morning in Pakistan area, about 20 meters inside their territory opposite the area of responsibility of Bharopal Border Outpost. Search operations were launched thereafter.
In the second incident, during the early hours of today, at about 1.50 am, Border Security Force troops observed some suspicious movement of smugglers on both sides of border fencing in the area falling near Gatti Ajaib Singh village in Fazilka district, BSF officers said.
BSF troops immediately fired at the Pakistani smugglers ahead of the border fence. However, smugglers managed to run away taking advantage of the dense fog. The whole area was cordoned and the police and concerned sister agencies were informed.
During initial search, BSF troops recovered four packets of contraband wrapped with yellow tape from ahead of the fence on this side of the border.
Further, during detailed search of the area, BSF troops recovered 21 packets of contraband, suspected to be heroin, wrapped with yellow tape along with a 12 feet long PVC pipe and a shawl ahead of the border fence.
